现代大学英语精读第四册课文原文.docx

现代大学英语精读第四册课文原文.docx

《现代大学英语精读第四册课文原文.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《现代大学英语精读第四册课文原文.docx（15页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

现代大学英语精读第四册课文原文

Lesson1

ThinkingasaHobby

WilliamGolding

WhileIwasstillaboy,Icametotheconclusionthattherewerethreegradesofthinking;andthatImyselfcouldnotthinkatall.

Itwastheheadmasterofmygrammarschoolwhofirstbroughtthesubjectofthinkingbeforeme.Hehadsomestatuettesinhisstudy.Theystoodonahighcupboardbehindhisdesk.Onewasaladywearingnothingbutabathtowel.Sheseemedfrozeninaneternalpaniclestthebathtowelslipdownanyfarther,andsinceshehadnoarms,shewasinanunfortunatepositiontopullthetowelupagain.Nexttoher,crouchedthestatuetteofaleopard,readytospringdownatthetopdrawerofafilingcabinet.Beyondtheleopardwasanaked,musculargentleman,whosat,lookingdown,withhischinonhisfistandhiselbowonhisknee.Heseemedutterlymiserable.

Sometimelater,Ilearnedaboutthesestatuettes.Theheadmasterhadplacedthemwheretheywouldfacedelinquentchildren,becausetheysymbolizedtohimtowholeoflife.ThenakedladywastheVenus.ShewasLove.Shewasnotworriedaboutthetowel.Shewasjustbusybeingbeautiful.TheleopardwasNature,andhewasbeingnatural.Thenaked,musculargentlemanwasnotmiserable.HewasRodin'sThinker,animageofpurethought.

IhadbetterexplainthatIwasafrequentvisitortotheheadmaster'sstudy,becauseofthelatestthingIhaddoneorleftundone.Aswenowsay,Iwasnotintegrated.Iwas,ifanything,disintegrated.WheneverIfoundmyselfinapenalpositionbeforetheheadmaster'sdesk,Iwouldsinkmyhead,andwritheoneshoeovertheother.

Theheadmasterwouldlookatmeandsay,

"Whatarewegoingtodowithyou?

"

Well,whatweretheygoingtodowithme?

Iwouldwrithemyshoesomemoreandstaredownatthewornrug.

"Lookup,boy!

Can'tyoulookup?

"

ThenIwouldlookatthecupboard,wherethenakedladywasfrozeninherpanicandthemusculargentlemancontemplatedthehindquartersoftheleopardinendlessgloom.Ihadnothingtosaytotheheadmaster.Hisspectaclescaughtthelightsothatyoucouldseenothinghumanbehindthem.Therewasnopossibilityofcommunication.

"Don'tyoueverthinkatall?

"

No,Ididn'tthink,wasn'tthinking,couldn'tthink-Iwassimplywaitinginanguishfortheinterviewtostop.

"Thenyou'dbetterlearn-hadn'tyou?

"

Ononeoccasiontheheadmasterleapedtohisfeet,reachedupandputRodin'smasterpieceonthedeskbeforeme.

"That'swhatamanlookslikewhenhe'sreallythinking."

Clearlytherewassomethingmissinginme.Naturehadendowedtherestofthehumanracewithasixthsenseandleftmeout.Butlikesomeoneborndeaf,butbitterlydeterminedtofindoutaboutsound,Iwatchedmyteacherstofindoutaboutthought.

TherewasMr.Houghton.Hewasalwaystellingmetothink.Withamodestsatisfaction,hewouldtellthathehadthoughtabithimself.Thenwhydidhespendsomuchtimedrinking?

Orwastheremoresenseindrinkingthanthereappearedtobe?

Butifnot,andifdrinkingwereinfactruinoustohealth-andMr.Houghtonwasruined,therewasnodoubtaboutthat-whywashealwaystalkingaboutthecleanlifeandthevirtuesoffreshair?

Sometimes,exaltedbyhisownoratory,hewouldleapfromhisdeskandhustleusoutsideintoahideouswind.

"Now,boys!

Deepbreaths!

Feelitrightdowninsideyou-hugedraughtsofGod'sgoodair!

"

Hewouldstandbeforeus,puthishandsonhiswaistandtakeatremendousbreath.Youcouldhearthewindtrappedinhischestandstrugglingwithalltheunnaturalimpediments.Hisbodywouldreelwithshockandhisfacegowhiteattheunaccustomedvisitation.Hewouldstaggerbacktohisdeskandcollapsethere,uselessfortherestofthemorning.

Mr.Houghtonwasgiventohigh-mindedmonologuesaboutthegoodlife,sexlessandfullofduty.Yetinthemiddleofoneofthesemonologues,ifagirlpassedthewindow,hisneckwouldturnofitselfandhewouldwatchheroutofsight.Inthisinstance,heseemedtomerulednotbythoughtbutbyaninvisibleandirresistiblespringinhisnack.

Hisneckwasanobjectofgreatinteresttome.Normallyitbulgedabitoverhiscollar.ButMr.HoughtonhadfoughtintheFirstWorldWaralongsidebothAmericansandFrench,andhadcometoasettleddetestationofbothcountries.Ifeithercountryhappenedtobeprominentincurrentaffairs,noargumentcouldmakeMr.Houghtonthinkwellofit.Hewouldbangthedesk,hisneckwouldbulgestillfurtherandgored."Youcansaywhatyoulike,"hewouldcry,"butI'vethoughtaboutthis-andIknowwhatIthink!

"

Mr.Houghtonthoughtwithhisneck.

Thiswasmyintroductiontothenatureofwhatiscommonlycalledthought.ThroughthemIdiscoveredthatthoughtisoftenfullofunconsciousprejudice,ignorance,andhypocrisy.Itwilllectureondisinterestedpuritywhileitsneckisbeingremorselesslytwistedtowar